The great thing about heel taps is that they focus on strengthening three muscle groups that make up your core (instead of just one) — the rectus abdominis, the transverse abdominis, and the obliques, Firpo told Women’s Health. The rectus abdominis (also known as the six pack) is the muscle that’s located between your ribs and pubic bone, the transverse abdominis is the deepest abdominal muscle located inside the internal obliques, and your obliques are the muscles that span the sides of your body, also known as the side abs.
While a regular plank and ab crunch focuses on the front section of your abdominal muscles, heel taps also include your obliques. Believe it or not, strengthening your side abs is also an important part of getting an overall killer core workout.
Your obliques support your spine but also help with everyday rotational movements, like bending to your side to pick something up or twisting to the back to look at a nice view. Oblique strengthening is great for good posture, and better balance, and may even help with reducing lower back pain. Let’s look at how you can strengthen your core by using your heels.